A Place To Realize My Dream
by brom2500
Summary: Two siblings were fed up with their current life when a chance to become better came to them. They took it and headed to a new city, accustomed to a new environment, hoped to start over. Rated M for mostly language. Comments are appreciated
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all, and welcome to "A Place to Realize my Dream".**

 **I started writing the first chapter just about a month ago, and after finishing two more it actually took me a little while to decide whether I should post it here since I felt like the context might be similar to another popular Dota 2 fic,** " **Nightsilver Tales" by achus93, which is also my favorite and inspiration. So please leave comments and thoughts, they will be appreciated. Thanks!**

 **The Italic dialogues in quotation marks indicates the siblings talking in Vietnamese. The Italic without the quotation marks are character thoughts.**

* * *

Chapter 1: The Way Out

 _"Phong."_

Huyen, his elder sister was looking at him. Even though there were only two of them together, Phong couldn't stop himself from thinking elsewhere. Lots of thing happened, something changed, in just half a month or so. It was hard to push those thoughts away.

Turn his eyes to Huyen's, Phong said: _"Yeah?"_

Despite all the times Phong told her about his wish, she still found something off about the whole ordeal. Was it possible that, her more-stubborn-than-a-rock of a brother, could finally speak up for himself? She truly believed he could at some point, but the way he had expressed it still left her with uncertainties, especially after 2 years; in which Huyen would give Phong a lecture on finding a purpose once every week, but received not a single sign of result or even reaction from him. Huyen had felt that she should give up on her brother, attempted to convince herself times and times that he was hopeless. But still she kept her little faith at him, and the current outcome didn't disappoint her at all. For the first time in Phong's life, he was able to decide for himself.

….

Phong was not happy with his life. At all. He was controlled by his parents, like 98% of his decisions were made by them for him, in his place. From his enrolment into the best high school in Ha Noi, then the application to go study abroad, and attending university in London. No question asked, the path was practically drawn for him. _Okay, it is all good, I don't have to be involved in those stuffs_. Some students whom he studied with showed displeasure towards him and other just ignored him. _So they don't like me. Okay, as Mom told me, stay clear from their way._ University? _I can do this. My sister lived 5 years through it, I can do it as well._ That's what Phong thought at first, but after only a years and a half of taking many different kind of shits life had to throw at him; he finally reflected on what his life has been and who he was. Oh the pain, the pain of realizing how annoying, wrong and stupid he was all the time. Unable to speak for himself nor make his own stand, he is just a cowardly kid who stuck inside a 20 years old teenager. Oh my, it cost him the times that were supposed to be the best in his life to realize all that. Why he had no friends, why girls didn't like him, why he was bad at everything. All those years of pure failure began to take its toll from him. Depressed and desperate, one would have thought that Phong was not going to survive.

A month had passed when he started pulling himself together. As he was watching his favourite game, an idea sparked in his mind. It was like completing a puzzle, and all the pieces were put in their right place. _A profession in gaming. Why not? I can still do it._ Somehow that single thought was stronger than his depression, and as an icing to the cake, he saw a recruiting announcement on his favorite gaming studio. It felt like having a fresh surge of energy flown through his body. After 2 weeks, he took his phone and called his sister: _"I have something to tell you."_

He and his sister met in Starbuck, on Central London. They have been there many times, but somehow that time felt different.

" _Oh, nice fingernails, big sis. Got them made yesterday?_ " Phong awkwardly started the conversation.

" _What do you want now? Your fucking tuition fee has been covered, or maybe you need me to do something for you again? Fucking hell, you could have fucked something up again and you need me to help you because you were too fucking irresponsible to solve it yourself?_ " Huyen frowned, definitely not in the good mood. _Dayum, she's pissed alright._ Five years. In five years Huyen has been suffering physically, emotionally, and luckily not mentally. _Or did she?_ The elder sister had been though lots of stuffs without Phong's presence already and ever since he stepped foot in London it had been worse for her. And from her not-so-considerate choice of words, Phong could tell that she was having stress from something again. Might be her own studies, her job application, or him or _that person_. One would bet on the third.

 _"Ok, let me get straight to the point. I know what to do now."_ Phong said excitedly

 _"Oh rrrrrrrr-eally, I think I heard that one for the hundredth time now."_ _Damn it, again with that sarcastic tone of hers. Just like… Ah fuck it, I ignored that all the time._ Phong thought to himself before answering.

 _"I'm serious"_

 _"Heard that shit before, too"_

 _"Can you just let me, please? Maybe most of the thing I'm going to say sound 'familiar' to you, but for once I'm sure about it, so can you please listen to it?"_ Now Phong was getting pissed.

Huyen seemed to notice something from her brother: _"Ok then, let's see what false promises you have to say today."_ _Still with that tone huh, prepare to be amazed._

Phong started to present to his sister everything he has been doing. Looking at the actual gameplay, the mechanic of the game, deepening his knowledge of the pros and cons of each character, each strategy and tactic the teams have to offer, and the voice records of him casting and analysing a game. Finally, Phong showed the studio announcement to his sister: _"I have already sent my CV to apply for the position."_

Huyen, honestly she was uninterested at first, but then she was surprised, and eventually amazed at what her brother just showed her. For the first time she saw her brother putting this much efforts into this "professional gaming", or "esports" as he called it. Just suddenly all her earlier anger was diminished, replaced by a new hope, a happiness she haven't felt in a long time. _Can this be happening? This idiot finally understands what he wants, after all this time?_

As Phong finished, Huyen let out a sigh: _"You could have done this a long time ago, you know that?"_

Phong was delighted with her reaction, but still he asked: _"How so?"_

 _"Well, despite you being an ass to me all the time, you are still my little brother. So I 'noticed' that you have never spent more time for anything than games. And I did 'suggest' that to you a few times. Maybe you could do something IT-related"_

 _"I thought you want me to focus on my studies"_

 _"No, as I said so many times, you always misunderstands what I meant. I wanted you to know what you really like to do, something that will make you live happily for the rest of your life"_

As Huyen's words astonished Phong, she continued: _"I know for long that you are not the ambitious type, so it would be a waste of money and time for you to pursue a serious profession like doctor or shits. If only you realize this sooner, I wouldn't have to work the shit outta myself to get that tuition that you DON'T want. But late is still better than never. I'm glad that something I said actually made it inside that thick skull of yours."_

Phong let out a little laugh: _"Barely"_

Huyen replied immediately: _"Better than nothing. So how long will it take for them to answer?"_

 _"They accepted my CV. Now I have to record myself casting a game for them to know my abilities"_

 _"You did that already, didn't you?"_

 _"I am not that satisfied with the current version, so I will have to practice a bit more"_

 _"I think you are doing just fine. From my perspective, as a person who never plays the game, I could understand the basic and imagine a bit of what is happening. As when you raised your voice at certain point, I believe that was when something big was going to happen?"_

Phong confirmed: _"Yeah, people call that 'hype'"_

Huyen continued: _"Yes, when you were hyping, I can feel the excitement, the eagerness; which would cause the audiences to join in with your feelings. It's my personal opinion, but I think you are doing a great job. Not that many people can speak like you. If this is what you want, go for it bro. Don't let anything stop you."_

Phong was totally captivated in his sister's words. He had never been so happy and willing to open his heart to his big sister, at the same time considered himself lucky to have such an awesome sister like Huyen. Moreover, he had found his long lost bravery, and discovered a fresh motivation like nothing he sensed before. This was what he want, the light at the end of the tunnel, a direction to escape the labyrinth he had foolishly trapped himself in.

Phong muttered: _"Thanks sis that means a lot to me"_

Huyen's face became serious again: _"You know you will have to drop out of university for this, right? The place is not in UK."_

 _"Yeah, who cares, you can tell that I'm so fed up with it I didn't even bother to revise for the exam"_

 _"But what if you fail? This is what you want right? What if you are not getting the job in the first time? What would you do without your status as a university student and with no job? There always has to be a plan B for everything. But leave it for now. Have you told Mom?"_

Phong's mouth agape at the question: _"Hell no, she would never allow such thing."_

Huyen answered immediately: _"Exactly, Mom, and Dad, and every single person in our family must not know about this. They will force you to do what they want. It has always been like that, not just because of you being an idiot, but also because Mom wants to control you since she lost control over me. Look, our parents, we have to be grateful to them as they gave us the education we need to go this far. However, it doesn't mean that we have to listen to everything they said, or following their orders. Whatever you want to do, you have to succeed. Only that will change their mind. If you were not my brother I wouldn't agree to this idea of yours"._

 _"It is not an idea anymore, it is a plan. And I would be lying if I said that this is not risky. Even I had doubts when I thought about it. This plan needs time. Time gives proofs. And proofs will come from my efforts"._

 _"I see. So you really want to do this?"_

 _"I have evaluated the potential risks, and I accept them. I have no regrets."_ Phong emphasized the last sentences.

...

 _"You looks worried, bro."_ Huyen has been thinking about that day when Phong decided to go on his own path. To both of them, that day should be marked as a huge life event. And they also agreed that would be too tawdry if one of them post that on Facebook.

 _"You said you have something to show me."_ Huyen spoke. _"You got the job?"_

 _"Yeah, I got it. Look at this. I printed their email."_ Phong takes a piece of paper from his bag and gives it to his sister. Huyen's eyes widens at the letter.

 _"So your workplace is located in a town called Elze, have you looked for any information on the place?"_

 _"Yep, apparently the town shares borders with Auckland, New Zealand."_ Phong said in a bored tone. There is a bit of discomfort in his voice.

 _"Oh."_ His sister just slipped his word, then reminded by his experiences in Auckland about two years ago. It was distressing for him, and from what he told her, during that times he had learnt what 'unhappy' means. _"Tough times, I thought you got over it? It's not like you are coming back to the campus. You are not anywhere near the place."_ she said.

 _"Not really, I have only managed to put that past in the back of my head. Sometimes I just remembered it, and it was uncomfortable."_ Phong said, attempting to sound uninterested at the matter, but his sister knows better. She moves their focus back to the letter.

 _"It also said that an agent will be helping you with the preparation, as well as answering some inquiries you have. I believe you have booked an appointment already?"_

 _"Yeah. They also said that I can bring one person with me, so you mind coming to the place with me?"_ Phong asked, excitement in his voice.

 _"I'm free tomorrow, so yes. Still I don't have a good feeling about this. I have never seen this kind of recruitment. But it is not like something bad can happen. You are basically nobody."_ Huyen said, she talks like reassuring herself.

 _"So it is decided then."_

 _"Yeah."_

...

 _"You ready?"_ Huyen asks her brother. They are standing in front of the meeting room on the second floor of a Costa coffee shop. Phong has been here many times with a friend of his. The place has creamy pink and brown as the main colors, with some pictures of London hanged neatly on the wall. There are many small tables positioned and aligned close to each other, which clearly shows a path in between. The big tables are arranged mostly at the corners of the shop, with long couches and armchairs. There are also seats by the windows, which are large panes of glass attached to the wooden frame. This overall gives the shop a warm and cozy feeling and most of the time Phong would sit in here for the whole afternoon. Or when he gets sleepy from the atmosphere.

 _"Yes, I am. It ten to three now, the agent arrived here 20 minutes ago. I think we can come in now."_ Phong replied, he can't stop smiling due to the excitement.

 _"Nice. Let's go."_ Huyen feels more secure from her brother positive attitude, and with everything prepared, they open the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A New Friend

As the siblings come in, they can already feel the atmosphere in the room. Compared to the coffee shop, this is different. The warmth in the meeting room, is unlike anything they have experienced before. It is like a protective barrier, in which you don't have to be scared or worry about anything. It's like a guardian, and whoever the woman sitting in front of them is, Phong and Huyen can tell that they can trust her. _Can't they?_

The siblings snap back to reality and greet the agent. As they take their seat, they examine the agent. The woman has a long silver color hair that extends to her hip. Her head is round and from the traces on her face, Phong guesses that she would be in her thirties or forties. Even so, she can still be considered a beauty. What intrigues the siblings the most is her outfit. _Vietnamese traditional dress?_

Phong glances at his sister. She bears her most relaxed expression, but he can tell that she was astounded at the woman choice of clothes. Kind of informal for their meeting, but this is more like a planning discussion than ordinary interview. Very thoughtful of her, actually.

The agent outfit reminds the siblings of those high school girls at the start of an academic year in Vietnam, a white split tunic with light, nevertheless recognizable tints of sky blue. The fabric gives the ladies an aura of grace, sweetness, and chastity. However, Vietnamese women at her age are usually seen with more complicated designs on their dress. Still Phong can't deny that the white robe suits the lady nicely.

"You can call me Io. The gentleman here must be Phong." The agent speaks, there is a melodious, graceful, even caring tone in her voice. Phong starts to feel a bit nervous. "Yes, ma'am. Nice to meet you."

"And the lady?" Io smiles at Huyen. The older girl also replies with a smile, something Phong rarely sees from her in front of strangers.

"My name is Huyen. I'm Phong elder sister. Nice to meet you." Huyen doesn't know why, but the woman managed to pull the friendliness out of her. She is aware that this is mostly an informal conversation, so she can just be cool with her expressions. Most people have found out how hard it is just to make her looks happy, but Io made her smile by the simplest way to make people smile. No matter how pleasant it looks, Huyen can't put this uneasy feeling down.

"You two are very fine teenagers I see." The smile never leave Io's face, it appears something from the siblings just fascinates the woman heavily.

"Firstly, congratulate Phong for your application to our training program has been successful. We saw great potentials in you. Even though there are some short-comings here and there, I believe we can fix those during your time with us." As Io keeps on praising him, Phong feels encouraged, he had not received such acknowledgement for a long time. Aside from his sister support, that is. Somehow his earlier nervousness has been replaced by excitement and vigor. He finds his mind begins to wander off the conversation, filled with ideas of how he will get organized and productive, how he will contribute his best to his works and overall himself. The surge of mental energy was more than he expects from himself, and soon Phong realizes the difference in his muddled thinking. His reasoning attempts to take over and he finds himself "evaluate" every scenarios, every risks he might encounter in his work; some of them is too good or too bad to be true. _What is this? What's going on? Why am I imagining unknown situations and exaggerating stuffs? I really should concentrate on Io. How did I lose my attention like that? It's not normal at all._

Phong awakes from his stupor to see Io staring at him, still smiling. _Was that her doing? How?_ A hand on his shoulder startles him. Huyen is also looking at him, concerned.

"Hey, why are you being bewildered all of a sudden? Are you going to answer her?"

"Ah, yes, I'm sorry, Io. And thank you for your appreciation." Phong finally speaks, clearly embarrassed from what just happened. Io shakes her head, giggling at him. _Maybe I overcharged his mind a bit too much. And it's not good for my health._ Io thinks in her head.

"Don't worry about it. I understand that it can be a bit overwhelming to some people. To know that they have gotten what they really want. That feeling is not common these days. Many unbelievable, even extraordinary things can happen to your life, and you can never be prepared for it." Io interprets.

"Sound like something you know very well", Huyen remarks at Io's words. _Clever girl_.

"It's just some personal beliefs, young lady."

Huyen has noticed Phong reaction at Io's praising of him. Whether she meant it or not doesn't matter, but at that moment Phong seemed to be off to the moon, which shouldn't be something unusual from him. Nevertheless, given the context, Huyen was certain Phong would not display his bad traits in front of his employer. Her presence couldn't cause him to be dumbstruck like that. _Then again, there is only that lady. What could she have done to Phong? Was that some sort of psychological trick?_

"Let's get back to the important matter, shall we?" Io spoke, disrupting the siblings' thoughts. _They seems to understand. The sister is getting cautious. The brother is recovering but I think he knows better what just happened. Those two are more interesting than I thought._

"I understand that this is not an interview, since you have been accepted already. But there are many things that need to be talked over, and I believe you two might have a few questions on the matter. About Elze, where to start? We are a normal town, maybe about half the size of London. You can say that it is similar to the big city right next to it, Auckland. You've been there before, right Phong?" Io said, looking attentively at him.

"Yes, I used to study there." Phong answered her. He's more focused to the conversation, having recovered from his over-thinking earlier. _There is definitely something strange about that woman, considering what just happened. However, I really should concentrate on the real matter._ "Good times".

"I believe it was. Whatever happened, we will ensure that you have the best experience at work. Now I notice that you don't have any university degree or certification?" Io questioned Phong. "You are currently at the second year of your course, right?"

"Yes, I decided to interrupt my studies due to mental problems that hinder my performance." Phong explained, hoping Io won't pay too much attention to this particular detail. Surprisingly, she doesn't.

"Very well, we accept applicants from all statuses. However, we also provide our interns with a few chances to improve their CV in order to impress their future employers. So in your first week, you might be required to attend a special meeting to discuss the issue."

"So you are saying my brother should take additional part-time jobs?" Huyen asked. She thought her brother lack of a certificate would ruin the opportunity, but the woman statement surprised her. However, Huyen knows better how sick and hateful Phong was towards his former job.

"Yes, but he can decide whether he wants to take on another position during his times at the place. We won't force him if he doesn't feel like it." Io replied.

 _This is weird. Maybe she is trying not to put too much pressure on Phong, but she made it sound too easy. If there are any requirements, most companies will be strict on it. But this is just easy, even informal for some business._ Huyen thinks, still having doubts at the sincerity of the ordeal.

"Don't worry, he won't have to work as a waiter again. Unless he feels like it." Io chuckled.

…..

After two hours of discussing and FAQs, they are pretty much finished with what they need to know. Io were very helpful and enthusiastic, the siblings now feels much more comfortable with her. Phong is totally impressed and he even took the initiative role from his sister, as he was the one asking the most questions, while Huyen was more than happy to let him. Phong is always attracted to friendly, considerate people. He believes such people would contribute to his positive attitudes and views. Io gave him the feeling of being listened and supported, which something he really needs at the moment. However, if life managed to teach him anything, one of them would be: Don't place your trust on someone too quickly. _Well if she can be trusted or not is something for later, but now I definitely enjoy talking with her. Too bad I might not be able to see her regularly, as she was a third-party agent. I guess I will have to make the best out of these moments._ He looks at his sister. It has been a while since the last time he saw she delight in front of a stranger. _Technically, Io is not much a stranger to us now._

As much as she adores Io, Huyen actually feels envious of her bright, cheerful demeanor. She has always taken a like on serious people, but Huyen actually admire the woman, despite her not knowing much about Io. Maybe she thinks she should be friendly to Io since her brother likes the woman, but this is not the case. It's something that is conflicted with her nature, yet she doesn't feel unhappy about it. However, that doesn't make her suspicions go away. _How she defied my personalities so easily is worrying, but still I kinda like her. Too bad this might be the last time I get to meet her. I will have to enjoy these moments. It's not every I get to know someone this interesting. If only…_

At that moment, Io turns and smiles at her, startles the girl. "Huyen, if you don't mind, may I ask what your plan for the future is?"

Huyen takes a moment to pull herself together. "I have just finished my Master Degree in Finance, I am currently taking another one, meanwhile looking for jobs and internships."

Io is excited at the girl's answer. "Oooh, very promising I see."

"Not really. To be honest, I'm tired from studying and I'm struggling to find a regular internship. You see, unlike my brother's, my choice of career is rather conventional and straight-forward, thus I met huge competition." Huyen sighed, it annoys her every time she thinks about it.

"I see." Io smiles at her before continue. "I believe I might be able to help you with that. May I have your email?"

"Sure. Here it is." Huyen said. _This might be a chance to keep in touch with her._ Huyen grins at the thought.

"Nice. I will send you some information on a recruitment in Elze tonight. You might find it _interesting_." Io was happy to see the sister's smile. _Pretty girl indeed, she should be happy all the times for a chance with the boys. Too bad._ Io amused herself with the thought.

At the mention of Elze, Huyen stiffens. _Damn this woman is full of surprises. It's like she can read minds. Wait a minute…_ Io smile suddenly turns into a smirk. _She can? Like actually read minds. Impossible. I should stop before it gets uncomfortable._

"Eh… Thanks a lot Io. I appreciate your help." Huyen said after giving the woman an awkward smile.

"No worries. I guess you two are free the whole day, yes?" Io asked.

"Yes, actually, and tomorrow as well." Phong answered. Huyen nods her head in agreement.

"Very nice. Would you two like to join me in dinner? I would like to know more about you two. Anyway I would like to move our conversation somewhere else. It's getting stuffy in here." Io's offer suddenly strikes the siblings. They are speechless momentarily, considering the lady's invitation. From what they feel so far about her, a dinner doesn't sound too bad. But again, they have only spoken to Io for about three or four hours. Despite how they enjoy the lady company, her offer for dinner was unsettling. Huyen is pondering the choices when Phong decides to speak.

"Of course, we would, thank you very much!" Phong said happily. Huyen glares at him for a moment before saying.

"Thank you for your offer, Io."

"Splendid! Let us be on our way."

…..

"I love Korean grill, don't you?" Io said excitedly.

"Yes, this is actually one of my favourite restaurant." Huyen commented before putting the piece of meat in her mouth, while Phong is pretty much focused on his dish.

They are sitting in a large, beautiful, well-organized restaurant. It was built under the streets, which was a smart move considering the lack of scenery at its location. The dark appearance was compensated neatly by the small lightings around every corners, on every columns of the place. Overall, the restaurant radiates a warm and cozy feeling, with the smell of tasty dishes fills the atmosphere. Huyen took Phong here many times, and the siblings enjoy everything the restaurant has to offer. Their foods, just excellent.

"So as we are in a much more informal place, is there anything would you like to ask me?" Io started the conversation.

Just like waiting for the signal, Phong immediately speaks: "Yes actually. About your choice of clothes. I don't want to be rude but it seems peculiar that you decide to wear the Vietnamese traditional robe to our meeting.

Io giggles, "Oh why I thought since you are Vietnamese, and I just love the beauty of your country's dress it would make a stunning first impression on you. It worked perfectly, right? You two couldn't keep your eyes off me with the first 30 minutes."

"It was indeed." Huyen said, looking at Io. "Actually I think it was very thoughtful of you. The dress suits you very well, Io." Phong nods his head, agrees with his sister

"Thank you very much, Huyen and Phong. I did some research on the garments. It carries the purest symbol of Vietnamese woman. Such compliment coming from you guys honors me." Io said, a hint of pink on her cheeks. The first time the siblings see Io showing any emotion apart from caring and happiness.

"Thanks… I think." Phong said awkwardly. Huyen put a hand on her forehead, sighing.

Putting her hand down to look at the woman, Huyen has been relishing the dinner with Io. As she talks, Huyen could feel the elegance, kindness as if they were the nature of the woman. And she is willing to believe that, despite her always suspecting others motifs, as well as her previous doubts of what Io is capable of. With such thoughts in mind, she turns her gaze onto her brother. _I wonder if he is thinking the same. Or if he actually gives a care at all._ _I can't tell what is going on in his head unless he tells me. Considering what occurred to him at the beginning of the meeting, he should have noticed. But again, he might just shrugged it off as him being overreacted. Nonetheless, she didn't do any harm to him, and she is too nice to think that bad of her. Maybe I am the overreacting one._

In contrary to what his sister thinks, Phong has his share of suspicions on Io's abilities. What he had undergone at the beginning of the meeting can't be caused by anyone else but her. _But it's not like she was giving me a seizure or a tumor in my head. She is a courteous and lovely lady, and her cheerful attitude just amuses me. It's impolite to frame her an awful image like that._ He contemplated on his experiences with the lady when he shifts his eyes to his sister. _I have never seen her so happy with someone new so quickly like this. She discerned what happened to me, no doubt; but she just shrugged that off. Well I'm sure she understands how minor the situation was, it's not something too serious to even mention it. The only thing appears odd is how Io connects with us so fast, but again that is not something to worry about at the moment. It has been about six hours and the…_

Phong's thinking is interrupted when his sister speaks: "I am very happy with this small bonding session of ours, Io. It's not every day we get acquainted with somebody like you."

"You flattered me, young lady. Still I appreciated your compliments. I would like to refer this as a 'tethering' if you don't mind. It might sound inappropriate, but I like the sound of that word." Io giggles.

The siblings speaks in almost unison.

"An interesting choice of words." Huyen commented.

"Okayyyy, if you want to call it that." Phong hesitated.

 _Those two are more than what I gave credits for. They would be an interesting addition to our society. The thought of it is so exciting. I can't wait to tell the others. They even have an idea of how I became close to them, though they don't know about the tethers. I channelled the friendliness through them and amplified it. They will understand some day._ Io reflected on the siblings, the thought entertains her.

"Thanks for the dinner Io, but we really have to go home now. I have to sleep early in order to keep up with my schedule." Huyen stands up, motions to Phong to call the bill. "I and my brother would like to pay for the meal. To show our appreciation." She said.

"Oh no, don't be. I invited you guys, we can split the bill between us three. Evenly. Please, I insists." Io smiled at the siblings, who looks at each other before the girl sighs in acceptance, while the boy just raises his shoulder. "Thanks, Io." Both of them speaks.

"My pleasure." The lady replied softly.

With that, they splits the bill. As the three walks out of the restaurant, Io tells the siblings.

"I will give Phong three months to settle his stuffs before the departure. A long time, but because there is a chance that Huyen will be coming too, so you two will need as much time you need. I will see you two in Elze, hopefully." With that she bids good-bye to the two teenagers.

…..

An hour and a half later, the siblings prepare for bed. Their room is small, but it is enough for two of them considering Phong doesn't need too much space for his stuffs, thus eighty percent of the room is reserved for his sister. And astonishingly she managed to organize every single of her item in proper place; from her books to the beauty cosmetics. The room conveniently possesses a bunk bed, and it is warm enough during London's winter even without a heater. The only troublesome thing is the lack of window due to the room's design. It gets stuffy, uncomfortable, and at the same time dispiriting if one stays too long in it not sleeping, thus the siblings would attempt to spend as many times outside as they can, often in coffee shops or the school library.

As Phong climbs on the metal steps to his upper bunk, he asks his sister:

"What did Io send you?"

"A recruitment for a position in the Human Resources Department of a company in Elze. Already sent my CV and cover letter. Hopefully they will respond soon." Huyen explained excitedly.

"Damn… if this works out, you will be coming with me."

"I used to wish that someone or something would get rid of you, but hey, fate itself has a wicked sense of humor. He always gives us what we dislike the most."

"But then it might turns out to be what we most desire."

"Yeah, sometimes it does. I still find it annoying that even though I have always been the more focused and determined one, you managed to get a job before me. And it took you only like a week? Lucky bastard." There are bitterness and amusement in Huyen's voice, although Phong knows which one dominates. He laugh slyly.

"Maybe after all, I'm just too fucking good"

"Shut up. You won't be getting shit without me constantly pushing you. Fortunately, you saw reasons and purposes. I'm happy for that one only." A smug look on Phong's face.

"In the end, you still have to give me some credits for all those shit I managed to pull off by myself. For the first time."

"Yeah, that is undeniable. Whatever, you know I don't have to spit it out for you to understand."

"Not telling you to say it. Too cheesy for my liking. Hell, you could creep me out by calling me 'em' instead of 'mày'. You know what I mean." The thought of that already sent shivers down his spine.

"Put that aside, you astonished me with your doing and decision, bro." Huyen said sincerely. Phong was going to respond when she continues.

"Gods bless the idiots after all." Huyen smirks. With that the siblings go to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: First Impressions

 **Three months after the first meeting.**

" _Come on, wake up already you lazy ass. We have a plane to catch. You are making us late."_ Huyen shaked her brother shoulders, she had been attempting to reach him in his sleeping state since she got up. Their flight was departing in 4 hours, but Huyen never wants to take any chances. If only her brother had thought the same, considering how frequently she had been stuffing the idea into his head.

" _Seriously sis, it's 5 in the morning. Can't I have another hour of sleeping?"_ Phong whined. He used to be a heavy procrastinator, always refuses to complete his assignments until the day before the deadline. Yet he managed to submit them earlier than most of his peers, sometimes with "acceptable" results. Fortunately, living with his sister somehow restrained this poor trait of him. But eventually Huyen got tired of beating her brother every day to awake him. It was not good for her mental health. And Phong was a big boy, he could get his ass up by himself, as well as facing the consequences of being late. However, this time was different. Both of them knew how important their incoming trip is.

" _You can sleep on the plane all you want, you know we can't afford to miss the flight. Now get up before I pour cold water on your head."_ Huyen threatened, her arms reaching for the jug.

" _You wouldn't dare."_ Phong got up just in time to spot the jug right in front of his face.

" _Try me."_ Huyen said, a frightening look on her face. Phong understood that his sister is not playing around.

" _Ok, ok. I'm up, I'm up."_ Phong grumbled, finally able to get up. He could tell that he won't be any happy in the next couple of hours. Phong was never able to be his usual cheerful self when he had to leave his bed too early. _Man the warmth, best feeling ever._

….

" _I told you so."_ Huyen glared at her brother.

" _Ok, ok, I told me that for the hundredth time already!"_ Phong exclaimed. He couldn't believe in their luck. Despite them having caught a taxi 3 hours before departure, there was a huge traffic jam on the highway to the airport, caused them to arrive at the airport just 40 minutes before the plane takes off. During the trip, Huyen had been constantly reminding Phong about how they could have avoided the trouble if he was more organized.

" _I wonder what would Io says about her full-of-potential applicant when he almost caused us to miss the flight to Elze."_ Huyen smirked. Phong remembered Io saying she will meet them at the airport.

" _Ah great, we better hurry. She is expecting us."_ Phong said hesitantly.

Three weeks after their first meeting with Io, Huyen got a job in Elze, which was suggested by the lady herself. She went through a formal interview with Io, and was very happy when she was accepted. Phong had never seen his sister so happy like that before. _After all these years suffering, she totally deserves it._ The next steps were easy. First of all, the siblings informed their bosses that they are quitting the following month. While Huyen tried to make things as discreet as possible, only talked to those she trusts and be secretive with others; Phong decided that it was the perfect time to show his friends his gratitude, while settling some scores with the others. _I may not be able to meet them again, so why not? I'm not ashamed of it._ With everything said and done, they were ready for their trip.

As they finished checking-in, they immediately headed to the gate. Io was waiting for them, still the same warm smile she always shows the siblings. They couldn't tell if she was angry or not. Phong was the first to speak:

"I'm very sorry. It was my bad that we are almost late."

"Well you two arrived, that matters."

"Thanks." Huyen replied. Her face remained calm.

"Nice to see you again, Io." Phong regained his composure appearance at Io's reply. While the siblings dressed casually as they normally do, Io wore a long, thick, light blue fur coat. Underneath the coat they could see a white shirt. Her trousers had the same color as her coat. She also wore a white woollen cap and gloves. Io's outfit seemed stand-out in the airport, totally different from their first meeting, yet the warm she radiated is the same as that time. Although Phong was very tired due to getting up early, he could feel his strength coming back to him as Io looks at him. _Man, she must be good news wherever she goes._

"I believe you two are ready, yes?" Io asked.

"Let's go." The siblings said in unison.

….

It took a day for the plane to get to the city of Auckland, after which the group would take the minivan to their accommodation in Elze. The siblings had been listening carefully when Io talked about what they would do at their destination, including the needed information on where they are staying for the times.

As the three of them was walking out of the airport main exit, Io held her phone in one hand, while telling the siblings:

"I'm calling our pick-up. Just a few minutes." Huyen nodded at her, before starting conversation with her brother.

" _How are you feeling? Returning to Auckland after all these years."_

" _Don't know, really. How should I describe this feeling? Awkward."_ Phong shrugged at his sister question. There were many things going on inside him. All those memories of his young, stupid, shallow self were coming back to him. They were embarrassing, and irritating. Phong wanted to forget everything when he left, looking forward to a fresh start in London, but it got even worse. Now he came back, and he was certainly not the person he used to be 5 years ago. _It's different this time. Those memories are nothing important. They belong to the past, I had already let them go._ Phong thought before continue.

" _The past is the past. I don't want anymore obstacles."_ He said.

" _Good to know. No one wants to be reminded of how stupid they were. Especially in your case."_

" _Yeah. Let's just not talk about it."_

Io hung up her phone, calling the siblings to follow her. Their ride had arrived.

"I hope you two will like our driver. He might be the fastest we have to offer." She smiled excitingly.

Right after Io finished her sentence, a minivan approached the three. Its headlights were similar to those of regular cars, but they emitted a shade of blue, the same color with the van. There was a small metal figure of a bull at the front of the van. As the driver got out of the vehicle, the siblings started to examine the man. He had a well-built body; his beard, which was tied to two knots, covered his cheek. A large scar extended from the top of his nose to the spot under his left eyes which made him look intimidating despite his efforts at being friendly. Phong guessed the man about the age of Io. The lady smiled at the muscular man before her introduction.

"This is Barathrum, but you two can call him Bara."

"How do you do, sir? I am Huyen, but you can call me Amy. This is my brother Phong." Huyen politely greeted the man.

"Nice to meet you sir." Phong followed his sister lead.

Barathrum chuckled at the siblings. "The pleasure is mine, kiddo. Io told me about you two. She has high hope for you. To be honest though, you two are more adorable than I thought." He said with a bass voice. Phong giggled at his comment, while Huyen raised an eyebrow warily. She did not feel very happy about people calling her "adorable".

"Come on Bara, you have just met them, don't be 'charging' at them like that." Io smirked at the word "charging", which seemed to have a little effect on the man, although the siblings didn't notice that. The lady in the white coat turned to the pair of youths, still grinning.

"Don't worry, you two. Bara certainly looks scary, he can be impulsive and too straight-forward sometimes, but he is a good man. He just need to learn to think carefully before saying." Io placed her left hand on Barathrum shoulder.

"Now now Io, don't be ruining my first impression to the kids. My apologies." Bara said solemnly.

"Oh no, sir, I mean Bara, no I mean…" Phong stammered, which caused Huyen to laugh silently. She answered for her brother.

"My little brother and I thank you for your hospitality. It must have been a long and tired trip for you, sorry for any inconvenience, sir." Most of the time Phong talks more than Huyen, but in certain situations, it is always better to have the sister speaks for them. "Yes, that's what I was trying to say!" Phong was finally able to speak coherently. Barathrum was amused by the siblings, his hand grabbed his belly as he laughed.

"You were right Io, I like them already! And kids, you can just call me Bara. Behold the _Planewalker_!" The man said with huge pride. "Might not be the fastest in this world, but it will get you to anywhere you wish. There are many doors to your desired destination and I will open one for you!"

" _Planewalker?_ That's…actually sound pretty cool." Phong hesitated with his words again.

"I know, right? Now let's get your bag up." Barathrum sounded happier than ever, as he opened the car trunk and started to place the luggage inside. Phong helped the man, while Huyen got seated on the van. Io took the spot next to the driver seat. With all passengers and luggage on the vehicle, Barathrum put on his cap, which unconventionally had a pair of horn on its side. Phong chuckled as he thought of a Vietnamese expression that relates to a man with horns. Huyen rolled her eyes, knowing what her brother has in his playful mind.

"In about 2 hours, we will be at Elze." Barathrum informed his passengers, and started the engine. The road was long ahead and the siblings soon fell asleep from tiredness.

….

"Wake up, sleepy-heads, we are close now." Barathrum bass tone resounded through the van. Io looked through the front glass, relieved at the sight of her hometown. It had been a long time since her departure from the place. "We are arriving at the entrance of the city, you two. Get to your senses quickly, I don't want you to miss the sight." She smiled at the siblings.

Phong has always been a heavy sleeper, however the seat on the van was not the best place for a nice slumber, so Barathrum's voice had been enough to wake him, even though he was still half asleep. Unlike her brother, Huyen was up a long time ago and immediately took interests in her surroundings. The girl has always been the more active between the two in sight-seeing. She had taken many picture on their way already and she knew her brother would love to look at the scenery he had missed due to his nap. Now with their attention at the two adults in front of them, the youngsters looked at the direction of Io's hand and gaped in shock and astonishment at what they saw.

The _Planewalker_ was running on a wide road which seemed leading to the top of a mountain. The road was split into two paths by a divider on which were small trees and green grass covers, something the siblings were already familiar with. The road headed to what might have been the largest entrance to a city in this entire world. The gate spread across the whole width of the road, although they were still far from it, Phong estimated that the gate's height could reach a hundred meters. As if the size of the gate was not intimidating enough, the four statues served to amplify the magnificence of the structure. Two on the sides, and two at the middle, one on top of the other. The statues were peculiar to say at least. _Strange figures, I have never seen those before. Is it some kind of indigenous gods?_ Phong was pondering when Huyen spoke. She was very excited at the sight of the gate.

"Can we stop at the gate? I want to take some pictures of the statues. They are so marvellous!"

Io smiled at her. "Of course, Huyen. I'm happy that you find interests in our architecture. What do you think Phong?"

"I don't know what to say, Io. It's a gate, but it is this stunning. I can't help but think about what the town actually looks like." Phong said, he could not hide his fascination.

"Come on, kid. Just tell us what you think. I can tell from that face of yours that you are more than just fascinated." Barathrum laughed wholeheartedly. Phong had been amused by the man and his easy-going attitudes.

"Hell, you are right. It is awesome! Feels like I'm on one of my old school excursions." Phong said excitedly.

"Haha, I knew it! Didn't see it coming, did you? Anyways, enjoy the view, kids. There will be more exciting stuffs in the town." Bara kept his grin wide, his laugh could break the glass at any point.

"Keep it down, Bara. I believe the whole mountain could hear you." Io joked at the man, which earned her a snicker from him.

"Oh Miss Io, I wouldn't worry about that. Norman is not even around! Gah, I really don't like his 'shush' whenever someone talks more than him." Barathrum said, causing some confusion to the siblings.

"Who's Norman?" Huyen asked.

"Oh, he is our head librarian. He is a bit over the top with his library rules. The guy even values the saying 'Silence is golden', but overall he is one of our best scholar." Io explained, and the siblings nodded their heads in response.

"Bah, I say the guy is obsessed." Bara said, without thinking obviously, but he totally meant it. Io just rolled her eyes. "Here we are, kids. This should be close enough for you to take pictures." He said as he parked the car. The siblings got off the vehicle, their gazes fixed on the faraway gate, admiring its greatness.

The youngsters could now get a better look at the statues. The two on the sides of the gate were of two very different horsemen. The one on the right was clearly an old man on a white horse, his white beard extended to his chest. He dressed in a long robe and pants that covered his whole body, and a white wizard hat. He had a strange staff in his hand. The old man face was very gentle and calm, an expression that is common to any grandfather figures. The statue appeared more beautiful as the light shines on it.

"Damn, that statue reminds me of Gandalf, sis." Phong said to his sister.

"Yeah, I can see the resemblances. The outfit distinguishes the old man. What do you think of the other horseman?" Huyen replied. She eyed the statue on the right cautiously. It gave its viewers an uneasy, dread feeling. The horseman, a knight to be exact, since he was wearing dark heavy armor, wielding a large cudgel and a round-shaped, spiky shield. The helmet had a unique, yet typical design, with two horns emerging from the sides. The stallion was also cladded in a similar fashion to its rider. The statue seemed to depict a symbol of war and death. The dark knight appearance alone could convince a person to stay away from him, or risk being trampled by his steed.

"I think he looks very cool. But also very scary." Phong answered her. He also felt uncomfortable at the sight of the knight.

They continued to examine the two statues at the middle. The one at the bottom resembled an entity that had some human features, but had only one leg, yet the posture showed that it is gliding on its "foot". The entity had two round, big eyes, but no nose, mouth, or ears. The marking on its body indicated its relations to stars and space. Huyen pointed at the entity statue: "What do you think of that?"

"He is, well, mystical. I can tell that he might have something to do with the space, but that's it."

"So do I. How do you know it's a he?"

"Come on, the guy has freaking six-pack. I would like to imagine him as a guy." Phong said eagerly.

"Fair enough. And the last one?" Huyen pointed at the final statue on top of the entity. Phong was chuckling at the last figure when Io spoke behind him.

"That's the Guardian Wisp, one of the four Fundamentals according to the folklores."

"Fundamentals?"

"Yes, the Four Fundamentals were representations of the facets of the universe and responsible of protecting its existence. The being below the Wisp is called the Enigma, while the dark rider is known as the Chaos Knight, the eldest of them all, and the old wizard is known as the Keeper of the Light." Io explained. "The Wisp, despite its 'exceptional' form, is the main protector of all life, of everything she can interact with by repulsions and attractions."

Phong suddenly recalled of something. "Like the magnetic interactions?" he asked.

"Yes, Phong. Interestingly, some researches have managed to relate the story of Fundamentals to modern physics. You can have a look for yourself later. Would you like to hear about the others?" Io asked.

"Yes, of course", Huyen said, Phong were already giving the lady an excited look. The siblings are always fascinated with myths.

"The Chaos Knight, the eldest of the Four. He certainly lives up to his title, a physical manifestation of pure chaos and disorder. He thrives in wars and conflicts, while he does not essentially enjoy causing them. As the tale goes on, it still says of his endless hunt for 'the Light', you might know what I'm talking about." Io said. Huyen raised an eyebrow at the last sentence.

"You mean the Chaos Knight is obsessed with the Keeper of the Light" the girl spoke.

"Yes, but we would not call that obsession. Nonetheless, the Keeper of the Light is believed to be the first to leave the home to the Fundamentals, roughly called the Fundamental Plane. The tales also says that it was him who created the Sun, thus shining the world from the long darkness. The Chaos Knight viewed the Keeper's action as a defiance to the Four's covenant, thus a disgrace to their name, and sets out to hunt his brother down, extinguishes every traces of light he finds, until the last. But the Fundamentals exist in many planes and realities at once, so the Knight's work is rather endless and thus deemed pointless." Io said with amusement in her voice.

"The bastard just doesn't know when to stop", Barathrum said as he joined them, a bag of snack on his hand. "Here you go guys, you must be hungry."

"I'm famished. Thanks", Phong lightened up at the sight of foods. Huyen looked at him. "Take it slowly, don't have to act like you were starved to death", she scolded him.

"Haha, don't be too serious to him, girl. Enjoy!" Bara laughed Huyen's seriousness off.

"Sorry Bara, but my brother has the worst manners if left unchecked", Huyen replied to the jolly man. Bara nodded to the girl when he saw Io glared at him. "Whhhat?" he asked.

"Nothing." Io said bluntly. The siblings was having the foods, so they didn't notice the small tension. Phong swallowed the piece of bread before saying.

"Umm, Io. How about the last one?"

"Ah yes, the Enigma. The most mysterious of the Four. The tales said that he resides in the space, far away from the surface, only shows up when called. Despite four of them being brother and sister, the Wisp only wishes to focus on the lives she is watching over, while the Enigma enjoys his own company and schemes. They don't really care about the others two's ventures." Io said.

"Man, those stories are so cool!" Phong exclaimed. He usually thinks about the meaning of the story after hearing the whole thing.

"Yes, they sound interesting. But aren't they supposed to protect the world instead of minding their own business like that?" Huyen questioned. She likes evaluating every aspect of the characters mentioned in the story as it goes on.

"Ah yes, they still do. But they only descend to our plane when they are truly needed. Otherwise, they would leave the mortals to attend to their own stuffs. I think this is not very different from the Gods from other civilizations. However, I believe you two will have more chance to learn about our myth in the city, let us be on our way. Bara?" Io called the driver, who is still trying to finish his lunch.

"Yeah, I'm ready." The man answered her as he was swallowing the last piece of his sandwich.

….

The van reached the giant gate after ten minutes, then they stopped for a while for the siblings to grasp the magnificence of the statues up close. Therefore it took them another thirty minutes to finally arrive at Elze. Unlike what they thought about where the road was leading to, it actually went around the West side of the mountain before split into three paths. According to the sign, the right path would go up to the top of the mountain, while the middle one led to a beach, and the left path would take them to the city.

At the first sight of civilization, Phong and Huyen immediately looked out of the windows to enjoy the city's landscape. Despite Io had told them about how Elze is a small town, the siblings were surprised by the many large structures and buildings. Elze was like any regular suburban town, with all kinds of shops, stores, and houses. The traffic became busier as they reached the city centre, at which they saw the town square, which was as large as the Trafalgar Square back in London. The square also had statues of the Four Fundamentals at its four corners, and some other unknown deities, but they didn't have time to apprehend those, as Barathrum quickly steered the vehicles away from the square's view, grinned at them through the driving mirror. "Don't worry guys, you will have time to visit it later on. There's more than you expected" he said.

" _Hey sis, this city is beautiful. It feels like a combination of Hanoi and London. I like it already."_ Phong spoke to his sister.

" _Yeah, the feeling is mutual."_ Huyen also felt excited at the sights.

Many places in the city had managed to catch the siblings' eyes. They kept calling the other whenever one of them spotted anything that might be interesting. Phong was delighted at the sight of a lake with large walking area around it, with lots of trees, plants, and flowers. Back in Vietnam, Phong always spent his morning jogging around the lake near their house. The peaceful atmosphere along with the fresh morning air was very relaxing and it gave him a clear mind, maintained his cheerful attitude. " _I hope that lake is close to wherever we are staying"_ he said to his sister. Meanwhile, Huyen was more attracted to clothes and beauty stores, just girls' habits. Huyen has always specifically paid attention to the imperfections on her face. _"For a small town, they surely have many large shops"_ she said.

They soon took a turn into the residential area. Barathrum stopped the van in front of a settlement which clearly possessed many aspects of a specific country's architecture. The siblings stepped out of the van and looked at the house. Phong turned his head to his sister. "We are living with a Japanese family. Man I'm so worried."

"I wonder how long until they decide to kick you out for being dirty all the time." Huyen smirked at him. He always left his room in Vietnam messy and disorganized, which caused their parents to scold him every week in order to make him clean his room. It was pretty much the same with their room in London, however, Huyen managed to make Phong vacuumed the room twice every week. He never uttered a word of discomfort with her around.

"Well, I will have to manage then." Phong laughed softly.

Barathrum joined in after parking his car and had brought the siblings' luggage with him. "Hahah. This family is very strict. And they are specialized in swordsmanship. You can guess what would happen if you mess with them. Look at the scar kids." He chuckled as Phong opened his eyes widely while Huyen started to show displeasure and anxiety. Io punched the man on his arm.

"Don't listen to him. The family is very kind and friendly. They have their disciplines but you shouldn't find it bothersome or sort. They were the first house I asked to be your host and they agreed immediately." Io said excitedly. "And I believe you succeeded in scaring the teens, Bara. Don't you have some other places to be?" Her voice became harsher at the man.

"Nowhere for the next three hours, been a long time since I visited the family anyway. I think I'm hanging with you guys for now. Sorry Io." He laughed, didn't mind the woman annoyance.

"Fine, but please watch your words, or your joke will be a true story." Io glared at him. "And maybe work on that stale sense of humor for everyone sake."

"Now I'm curious. Where did you get that scar, Bara?" Phong asked, looking at the mark on the man's face. The man just laughed his question off, then said. "That story will have to wait. Let's knock now, shall we?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello all, been a long time. Deadlines and works were catching up to me, but I don't want to give up on this story just yet. Also I'm considering rewrite Chapter 1, at least the part about the reason for the siblings to move and what they actually want; in order to maintain the consistency of the story later on. Please give me your thoughts on this and the whole story, they are always appreciated.**

 **E** **njoy the chapter!**

 **P/s: Been a long time since my last Dota 2 match as well. I might be spamming one Hero too much that I bored myself. But damn, Dark Willow support 4 is just super fun!**

 **Again:** "this" indicates normal English, while _"this_ _"_ indicates Vietnamese dialogues.

* * *

Chapter 4:

As soon as they knocked, the door opened as if the residents had already known they were there. A man about mid-forties greeted the group.

"Hello, welcome to our little residence. My name is Hiroshi Nakamura, the owner of this house. You two must be Phong and Huyen."

Phong spoke for the two: "Yes, we are. Nice to meet you sir." Then he whispered to himself: "Konichiwa." Hiroshi immediately looked at Phong, had clearly heard the young adult's attempt at the language. But the man just gave him a smile before replying: "Hello. How are you?"

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean any offense!" Phong exclaimed, while Huyen made an impassive expression, as if she was telling her brother: "Pull yourself out of that." Io kept her cool imposture, and Barathrum just chuckled lightly.

The man shook his head. "Please don't be. I was pretty amused because our boarders actually showed some interests in our culture. Please come inside, I will show you yours rooms. Would you like some help with the luggage as well?"

"We're fine, sir. Thank you very much." Huyen answered the man.

…

The siblings were actually getting their own room this time around. The rooms were not really spacy, but they were just enough. The furniture in each room were pretty much identical, with a single bed, wardrobe and a set of table and chair.

"Ha! Now I won't have to worry about urging you to clean the room because you are cleaning your own room!" Huyen snickered.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Phong answered plainly.

Io stepped in their conversation. "Pardon me, these should be the last of your luggage, yes?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Ok you two can unpack and organize your room later, now we should come downstairs to meet your host."

"Yes, of course."

Io led the siblings to the living room, Barathrum still waiting outside. "They are waiting for you two." the man said as he pulled the sliding door, revealing the living room. The living room was clean and spacious. The floor was covered by tatami mats. A short table in the middle of the room, with many cushions of different colors and designs, placed around it. Another sliding door, just opposite the room entrance, led to the garden. Phong could see a great tree in the middle, but he couldn't tell exactly which kind of plant it was. The family already took four, the rest soon occupied by the guests. The host family included Hiroshi, his wife and another pair of siblings. Intriguingly, the older one, the boy, was wearing a strange white mask. The mask resembled a sheep's head, which was divided vertically by a line. The line passed the eyeholes before twisted into a spiral at the forehead. There were two strange shapes on the sides of the mask which symbolised the ears. The rest of the family, even Io and Barathrum seemed just fine with the mask though. _Might be some kind of unknown tradition._ Phong thought to himself, while Huyen already noticed the decoration in the room. _Katana, samurai drawings. Might have something related to why the guy is wearing a mask_. The girl was wondering when Hiroshi spoke.

"Let me introduce you to the rest of my family. My wife, Megumi." The lady waved and smiled at the siblings. She looked young, despite her supposed age.

"My son, Yurnero, he is 19 years old. And my little daughter Yuna, she's only 14. On behalf of my family, I'm happy to welcome you into our home. I hope we will be living together for as long as possible, so don't be strangers." Yuna did the same gesture as her mother, while Yurnero just nodded his head. It was impossible to guess the masked adult's reaction until he spoke, his voice delightful and excited.

"I'm always eager to make new friends, nice to meet you, Phong-san and Hu…" As Yurnero struggled with her name, Huyen said: "You can call me Amy, nice to meet you and your family."

Phong followed his sister: "Thank you for your hospitality."

Hiroshi let out a chortle. "The pleasure is ours. Do you two have any question before we show you around?"

Phong's response was nearly immediate: "I'm sorry but I can't help but wonder about Yurnero's mask." The family, as well as Io and Barathrum giggled at the statement. Phong's face reddened a bit. Megumi reassured the boy.

"Please don't be embarrassed. It's an interesting thought."

"A good question indeed." Io spoke.

"Do you have any guesses?" Hiroshi continued.

"Well to be honest, I have noticed the decorations, so I think the mask might be a part of your samurai tradition?" Huyen said. She was also very interested in this subject.

"Yes, you might have just gotten the main plot of the story, Amy-san." Hiroshi confirmed Huyen assumptions. "Yurnero, would you like to tell our guests about your study?"

"Yes, otou-san. So where to start? My parents came from families who upheld the samurai tradition, included their training, skills, and the code of honor. I was fascinated by this and decided to study it, mostly the swordsmanship part. The mask is a part of the training and I have to wear it all the time, except when sleeping and taking a bath. If you are wondering, my mask is designed to allow eating without removing the whole thing." Yurnero opened the lower-half of the mask which covered his mouth as he was saying. "My father would teach me about the code of honor whenever it's fitting."

"Wow, this is the first time I learn of such rule." Phong said excitedly.

"It's not really common. The whole "mask" part only appeared in the teaching from my father's ancestors. It is said that samurais who completed this training and mastered all techniques will have extremely noticeable more speed, stamina and heightened senses than the average samurais. This allows them to pull off some super cool moves. Those special samurais will forever wear the mask to distinguish themselves from the regular ones. According to the old instruction, those masked swordsmen were even called "Juggernauts" for their exceptional abilities." Yurnero spoke delightfully.

Huyen was getting more curious. "What exactly are the "cool moves" you are speaking about?"

"Too bad I don't have any actual footage or picture. But this one time when I visited my grandparents in Japan, I saw my uncle spin around with his wooden sword, so fast he looked like a tornado, and hacked a training dummy in two. True story, man." Under his mask, Yurnero's eyes opened wide, his mouth was grinning. "And that was not even the ultimate skill, the strongest one could pull off. According to the instruction, a Juggernaut could achieve a speed so large that he can attack his opponents numerous times, each, mid-air, and unseen. Like he could slash one guy many times, then jump to another, at the same time, rinse and repeat."

The siblings' eyes were widened in surprise and excitement. _Unbelievable_. They thought the same.

"That's just incredible! But with such skill, how come those masked swordsmen aren't known by the public? I used to have other Japanese friends, they never talk about those guys."

Hiroshi stepped into the conversation: "My father said that our ancestors kept the training of Juggernauts a total secret, and hid it from the contemporary warmongers. Nowadays, not many people still uphold the samurai tradition as much as we do, and the whole ideas just sound too far-fetched at the present, but we are still careful who we reveal this to. Considering you are staying with us for a long time, we might just tell you now. And don't worry about Io and Bara, as many people in this town already heard about this."

"Yeah, none of them would have believed anyway." Barathrum said. Io glared at him again. "But we respected their ways as if they were true." The large man continued sincerely, and the elegant woman in front of him seemed pleased.

"But still, how exactly did such techniques possible? To spin at that much speed, won't the swordsman get dizzy? Not to mention the amount of strength and energy needed to reach that point, even the strongest man will easily get tired after pulling that off. Not to mention the mask hinders vision." Huyen questioned the story told by the eldest son of the family, but Yurnero didn't falter. The masked adult said:

"You see when you normally spin you get dizzy because your brain has to process many information at the same time. The mask reduces the dizziness. Plus, when you have the skills of a Juggernaut, you won't even need to use your eyes to land a hit on your opponent. Like, your senses are heightened so much that you can feel them coming from miles away!"

The siblings look each other in disbelief and astonishment. Yurnero sighed.

"It's unbelievable, I know. Even I doubt that I could one day reach that level. But the idea itself is just awesome, you know."

"Yes, it is." Huyen said.

"Awesome? If that's not total badass, I don't know what is." Phong commented.

"Hell yeah it is!" Yurnero said excitedly.

"Now now, you two can discuss more about this later. We really should start your orientation." Megumi spoke. The woman seemed amused at the conversation.

"Otou-san, when can I start my own training like Onii-san?" Yuna suddenly asked, giving her father a pleading look. Hiroshi gave the girl a smile.

"My little girl, you are not ready for this. You still have schoolworks, don't you?"

"Awww… They are no fun at all." Yuna whined. "I want to be like those guys Onii-san talked about."

"Now now Yuna, we shouldn't waste any time. Please follow me." Hiroshi reassured his daughter before talking to the siblings.

…

They spent the rest of the afternoon to listen to Hiroshi and Megumi talking about their routines and timetables, as well as how to handle their own food and laundry. The siblings were told that the rooms are theirs and thus the family was comfortable with anything, however, the rooms must stay tidy and neat; so Phong and Huyen agreed to clean their room at least once a week, or whenever it was needed. Io and Barathrum had already left at the start of the orientation. They didn't forget to say their best wishes to the siblings. It was pretty upsetting, since they had become close to the elegant lady as well as the jolly man, but after all, the siblings knew that they would see them in the future. It was already dinner time when they finished unpacking, organizing, and decorating their room to their liking.

The kitchen looked tidy and modern, the wooden counters gave it a feeling of austerity. A large round dining table sat in the middle of the area, also made of wood. Three members of the family had already taken their seats, with the exception of Megumi, who was carrying the last dish to the table. Phong and Huyen joined them. They talked about their life before moving to Elze, and then each of the family members talked a bit more about themselves, before Yurnero continued his story of those masked swordsmen. Afterwards, the siblings offered to help washing the dished, but Megumi just politely refused, while Hiroshi told them. "I will show you guys around after taking my kids to school, so you should get as much rest as you can. It has been a long day for you guys."

Huyen was preparing for bed when she heard a knock on her door. As she expected, her brother was on the other side. But Phong didn't expected to see his sister with the face mask on her face. His eyes already opened wide when he said:

" _Hey sis, may I come in?"_

" _Sure, but I need to sleep soon. You knew my schedule already. You should sleep as well. It's not good to stay up late."_ Huyen told her brother for might be the hundredth time on the importance of sleeping early.

" _Yeah, yeah. Just want to talk to you before the next day. It marks our new life here and I'm not really hyped for it like I thought."_ Phong explain his worry. He hadn't been best at adapting to new environments. He would always struggle in many things before actually knew what he should do, just like how he had struggled during his high school and university.

" _You got your dream job, right? You, of all people should be happy about that. Perhaps you are afraid that you might screw things up like before, and that made you very nervous?"_ Phong was going to reply but his sister went on talking. It had been extremely hard to interrupt her while she was making her point. _"Don't give me that 'I don't know' shit, I understand you very well, more than you know yourself. So I'm telling you to sleep early, let your brain rest, and this anxious feeling should be gone, or at least fade by tomorrow. You told me that you would put all of your efforts into this, and now you should do just that. Stop thinking too much or you will bring more unnecessary pressure to yourself. Understand?"_

" _Yeah sis, you're right. I was over-thinking. I'm going to sleep now. Thanks and good night."_ Phong was happy that he had spoken to his sister. She was always willing to throw the truth at him, no matter how painful it might be, and offered her resolves. She was overall, a trustworthy person.

With his spirit renewed, Phong decided that it was time to regenerate his physical strength as well. Closing his room, he went straight to the warmth of his bed, set the alarm, and quickly fell asleep.

…

It was already three o'clock in the morning. At this time, most people would have gone back to their family, leaving the streets empty. But one was still running, it shone the cobbled path with its pale blue headlights. The vehicle stopped in front of a small house, which possessed a protective, but passionate and peaceful aura, just like the abilities of its owner. Even the main colors were white and light blue, the same with her dress and her primal form of the Guardian Wisp. As Io was stepping out of the _Planewalker_ , Barathrum complained to her:

"Why couldn't y'all just meet together in the first place? Instead you just had to see each of them one after another, which of course meant more work for me! And I said it already, I don't like to hear Nessaj's arrogant voice!" the man stated, totally frustrated.

"The matter was important enough to get it finished as soon as possible. And my brothers were somehow too busy to actually come together. Sorry Bara, but maybe next time on the battlefield you could bash their head in. With my help, of course." Io reassured the man, but it seemed ineffective on him, as he continued.

"Don't give me that crap. It had been centuries since we had an actual brawl. Even back in the days, in my prime time, despite how I beat the crap out of each of your brothers, they would always come back and get the last laugh. Either by beating me down twice how I did or just annoys me to the point of killing myself." Io snickered at the last sentence, but she regained her composure. After all the troubles she put him through in one day, she needed to ease the scarred man in the van, the once-feared head-blazing blue Minotaur who had an over-confidence problem. The Spirit Breaker. His over-confidence was well-known, as he even used to swing at people with a censer, at surprising efficiency and accuracy.

"Now now, we don't want to go back to that time, do we? Still, it's strange that people with the _potentials_ still showing up each decades, either descendants or new faces, despite the war having ended long ago. Don't you think?"

"You were wrong last year, Ms. Wisp. I still had my doubts about those two actually having any _potentials._ They were fine, though. *yawn* Goddamnit, I'm going to sleep to the point when the sun passes the summit. Good night Io." Barathrum bid his farewell to the lady and drove off, waved to her through the mirror. Io waved back, her final voice entered the man's mind as the tether slowly broke.

"Don't stress yourself too much, Bara. I'm very sure this time. Sooner or later, their abilities will arise. Good night, Mr. Breaker."


End file.
